Community college to develop new vision

Kindred Murillo, president of Lake Tahoe Community College, talks in front of a room full of people at the 2020 Vision session Friday. The meeting was held in the college's Aspen Room and focused on the school's future.

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Lake Tahoe Community College could experience a series of transformations over the next several years, as officials turn their attention to the future and focus on rebranding the institution.

Following an almost five-hour-long special meeting Friday, President Kindred Murillo announced that a committee is being formed to review several aspects of the college – including the logo and mascot — with the possibility of reshaping them.

“It doesn’t do any good to have a vision if you aren’t moving toward it,” Murillo said.

The announcement took place at the end of the college’s 2020 Vision meeting, which focused on the institution’s future, what it can be and what needs to be done to get there.

More than 75 educators, administrators and community members attended the event to provide input on where they think the college should be headed.

Virginia Boyar, dean of career and technical education, said the school was looking for long-term direction.

“We’re looking at where we want to be 7, 14, 20 years from now,” she said.

At the meeting, participants were asked to focus their vision on six categories: students, the role of the college in the community, educational programs and community services, tools and technologies, physical facilities and sources of revenue and financial support.

Several ideas were presented during the session, but some were repeated more than others. Increasing diversity, encouraging the arts, creating environmental programs, obtaining grants and developing student housing were among the common themes.

Murillo said having a vision for the college’s future is pivotal to its success.

“If we don’t define where we’re going,” she said, “someone will do it for us.”

Other recommendations included targeting non-locals for enrollment, strengthening the athletics program, increasing parking and buying new technology.

Murillo acknowledged that reaching the institution’s new vision could take a significant amount of money, which is why the school may consider the use of bonds, she said.

“It’s something that could help us greatly,” Murillo said.

The college held the 2020 Vision session at a time when it faces local population decline and a number of budget concerns.

However, the meeting will help determine how the college should proceed, Institutional Researcher Aaron McVean said.

“The 2020 Vision session is the first step in determining what the Tahoe community and college wants to see happen, and how to achieve that vision going forward” he said in a statement. “Once we decide what we want to achieve, with input from the community, then we can focus on getting the resources needed to bring it to life.”

Moving forward, the college will align its new vision with the strategic plan and be taken to the governing board for approval.

The idea, Murillo said, is to launch the new vision at a dinner on June 7, 2014.